Police stop and search figures show racial bias
NEW data showing that people of certain races in Wales are far more likely to be targeted by the police using stop and search powers have been branded as “bleak” and “disgraceful”.
The data, gathered by Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre (WGC), covers all four Welsh police forces in 2020-21 and people who are black are disproportionately targeted compared to those who are white
Of every 1,000 white people living in Wales, eight were stopped and searched. This compares to a rate of 56 per 1,000 black people, 16 per 1,000 Asian people, and 28 per 1,000 people who identify as being from a mixed ethnic background (the ethnicity categories are based on selfidentification).
The gap in the stop and search rate between white and black people was slightly wider in Wales (eight to 56) than it was in England (seven to 51). Dr Robert Jones obtained the data. He said: “These latest data add to the evidence we have already uncovered about the fact that non-white people are more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system in Wales. This includes evidence that individuals from non-white backgrounds are more likely to be stopped and searched by police, sentenced to imprisonment and receive longer prison terms, than white people in Wales.
“We have previously used our research to call for a Senedd committee inquiry into racial injustice in the Welsh criminal justice system, these latest data further underline the need for such an inquiry and for the Welsh Government to give far greater attention to racial discrimination and criminal justice in Wales.”
Disproportionate targeting of ethnic minority groups using stop and search has been shown to do serious harm to people’s trust in the police.
Christina Tanti, research and evaluation coordinator at Race Equality First, is the author of the Joint NGO Shadow Report on Racial Inequality in Wales.
The report, which will be submitted to the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, also highlighted the low arrest rates following stop-searches with just 15% of searches conducted under PACE Section 1 leading to an arrest in Dyfed-Powys, 12% in South Wales, 11% in North Wales and 8% in Gwent.
Furthermore, the arrest rates for stop-searches carried out under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order (CJPO) Act (1994) are even lower. These were authorised nationally by the Home Office in August 2019 and are known as “suspicion-less” searches as they allow the police to search anyone in a given area for a set period of time, even if they have no reasonable grounds to suspect that person has committed a crime.
In 2019-20, 200 Section 60 stopsearches were carried out by North Wales Police – only 1% led to an arrest. In the same year, 101 Section 60 stop-searches were carried out by South Wales Police – only 2% led to an arrest.
Ms Tanti said the figures “clearly show ethnic disproportionality” and added: “We are concerned about the impact of stop and search on ethnic minority groups. Specifically, its role in damaging trust and confidence in policing amongst ethnic minority populations further.”
She said the figures come against the historic backdrop of the treatment endured by the Cardiff Five in an horrific miscarriage of justice.
More recently, an Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation is continuing into the deaths of two young black men after contact with police – South Wales Police in the case of Mohamud Mohammed Hassan in January 2021 and Gwent Police in the case of Moyied Bashir in February 2021.
Ms Tanti’s sentiments were echoed by Jabeer Butt who is the CEO of the Race Equality Foundation.
He said: “This bleak data shows disproportionality in stop and search is not declining. It is small wonder that there is a lack of trust between black, Asian and minority ethnic people and the police when these communities are still so much more frequently stopped and searched than their white counterparts – particularly so in Wales compared to England.
“Until this racial disparity is addressed effectively, we will continue to see injustice in the over-representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in the criminal justice system and a broken relationship between these communities and police.”
Policing is not devolved and is the responsibility of the UK Government. The issue is expected to be raised in the Senedd by South Wales Central MS Rhys ab Owen.
The Plaid Cymru spokesman for constitution and justice said: “I will raise these disgraceful new stop and search figures with the First Minister in the Senedd on Tuesday. I’ll be calling for him to act on this issue, but I realise his hands are tied because the Welsh Government does not have full control over policing and the criminal justice system.
“Plaid Cymru believes we in Wales should have the powers over policing and justice as happens in other parts of the UK. Once again Wales is being left behind, and we are failing our people. The devolution of justice and policing would ensure clear accountability to all communities in Wales.”
Responding to the data a Home Office spokeswoman said: “The Government fully supports the police in the fair use of stop and search to crack down on crime, including violent crime, and to protect communities. It is only right that these powers are used to stand firm against criminals who break the law.
“Every knife taken off our streets is a potential life saved. Stop and search removed almost 16,000 dangerous weapons from our streets and resulted in almost 80,000 arrests last year. Crime statistics show increasing proactive policing, like stop and search, is helping the police find more knives and drugs, and arrest more criminals.
“Nobody should be stopped and searched because of their race and extensive safeguards such as statutory codes of practice and body worn video exists to ensure that this does not happen.”
Superintendent Mike Richards from Gwent Police said: “Our officers receive training to ensure the proportionate use of powers, including stop and search.
“Officers must always have reasonable grounds to use stop and search powers, for example, if they believe someone is carrying illegal drugs, a weapon, stolen property or something which could be used to a commit a crime. Our recent reporting data ( July-September, 2021) shows that our race disproportionality figures, which identify how much more likely an individual from a black or minority ethnic group is to be searched compared with a white person, is at its lowest level since recording in Gwent Police started.
“There are times when we may see an increase in the use of these powers during targeted enforcement operations, such as Operation Sceptre, which aims to remove dangerous weapons from our communities and reduce knife crime.
“Whilst our figures show an improved position, we will continue to monitor figures regularly, working with our communities and the independent advisory group, to ensure transparency and effective learning.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “Policing is a non-devolved matter and remains the responsibility of the Home Office. We will continue to work closely with the Home Office and the four Welsh police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners to deliver the fairer Wales we all want to see.
“A key goal of our ‘An Anti-Racist Wales’ action plan is to work with the criminal justice system to better understand and address race disproportionality and its causes, including in the youth justice system
“Our collective aim is that everyone who comes into contact with the criminal justice system will receive equal treatment and equal outcomes.”